EleniI struggle to tamp down my libido as Dante pulls me out of the sculpture gallery. Cal Duncan? Here? With all the champagne, I forgot the day started with his name. For all my research, I haven’t been able to find a picture of the guy, so I have no idea who to look for in the crowd of well-dressed partygoers.“Mr. Cattaneo.” A man with deep red hair and a lilting Irish accent steps into our path. “And Ms. Calimeris. What a pleasant surprise.”Before I can reply, he takes my hand and kisses my knuckles. I blink, fighting for coherency. Instead, I notice the fine sprinkling of freckles on Cal’s sharp cheekbones and the amusement in his light brown eyes. The charming man in front of me doesn’t match any of the horrifying stories I heard about him.“Mr. Duncan.” Dante’s voice sounds strained as he sticks out his hand to shake. “I was so hoping to see you tonight.”“Is that so?” Cal releases my hand and shakes Dante’s. “I heard you’d been absent from the circuit for a while. It seems
DanteI study Eleni in the reflection of the chrome elevator doors, nearly salivating. Her breasts are about to burst out of that dress of hers, one tug of a ribbon away from total exposure. And I know she’s not wearing anything under the skirt. I nearly took her in the museum, and again on the street. It would be so easy. But after the past two weeks of everything spinning out of my control, I want to see just how good she’ll be for me and only me.The elevator doors open, and she starts to step out.“Where are you going, pet?” I ask, low and dangerous.She freezes. “The room?”“Did I tell you to move?” I sweep my gaze over her body.She shakes her head. “Sorry, sir.”I wait three heartbeats. “Let’s go.”The hunger that burns through me when she follows a step behind me the whole way down the hall threatens to burn me to ash. I’m already half hard in these fucking suit pants. Tonight is going to be incredible.I slide the keycard into the door and say, “From now on, you’re not allowe
EleniA few days after our night in the hotel, I roll over in bed to find the sheets empty. Instead of getting frustrated, I flip the other way and grab my phone. As expected, a text from Dante sits at the top of my notifications.Piacere all day today. Probably won’t be back until late. Dinner?I type out a quick affirmative and smile. Since I agreed to stay—and agreed to go to Tandon, though there was no way I was going to live on campus—he’s obviously been trying. He tells me where he’s going, or at least as much as he knows, and offers new plans every time work pulls him away. Butterflies riot in my stomach. I flop onto my back and stare at the ceiling.Christos made Dante kill him because he got so focused on the prize, he couldn’t see anything in his way. That sounded like my brother. As much as I loved—love him, Christos could be a bulldozer. So maybe, just maybe, letting Dante back into my heart isn’t a total betrayal of my family.I get out of bed and ignore the fact I haven’
DanteEarlier than expected, I walk in the front door of my house. Piacere actually ran smoothly for once, and I have high hopes they won’t even need me there for another day or two. El and I haven’t spent a ton of time together since our day of errands, and I miss her despite falling asleep next to her every night. Sometimes, I think it might be better if she was involved in high-level operations again, but that might just be a side effect of wanting to see her more often.No, some of the capos still look around for her when I give an order. I know a handful of them text her nearly everything. They’ll answer to me—especially because I suspect she told them to—but she’s won their loyalty forever. I can’t say I don’t understand.I wander through the house until I find Eleni in the living room at the back of the house, sprawled out on the leather couch with a laptop on her chest and a mostly empty pitcher next to her.“Hey—”Pitcher. With a little bit of something yellow at the bottom.
Eleni“What’s wrong with this?” I ask as I step out of the dressing room in the fourth outfit since I sent Gianna a few pictures of the clothes I was looking at and she dragged me out for actual shopping.She sighs. “Real answer?”I nod. “Clearly, I’m not getting this. It doesn’t make any goddamn sense. Why isn’t this something one of the wives can wear?”Gianna stands and walks over to me. “Well, first, you’re not one of the wives.”I snort. “Tell them that.”“Trust me, they know.” Gianna turns me to the mirror. “But the boss’ girlfriend ranks above any actual wife. If you were a mistress… Well, that’d be different. We wouldn’t be out in public shopping with Dante’s credit card, that’s for sure.”I roll my eyes to the ceiling and groan. “How did I go from boss to boss’ girlfriend in a week?” “Dante woke up.” Gianna shrugs. “It’s not fair, but that’s how everyone assumes it works. If you want something different, you’re going to have to talk to him, and he’s gonna have to convince a
EleniTwo hours later, bags fill the back of my car, my deep blue manicure is just dry enough that I’m able to drive myself home, and my hair feels so light that I keep shaking my head back and forth just to feel the curls bounce. Gianna’s hairdresser only took off a few inches, enough that it hits my shoulders instead of my mid back, but he added layers that “frame my face,” whatever that means, and I feel like a million bucks. I pull into the driveway wearing the first outfit Gianna picked out for me with just a few minutes before dinner at seven.I race inside and start hunting for Dante. Not in the kitchen. Not in his office. Eventually, the sounds of TV lure me to the living room, where he sits sprawled on the couch, looking bored.“Hi,” I say.He glances up, then sits fully upright. “Holy shit.”I flush. “Do you like it?”“Like it?” He leans over the back of the couch. “I think I’ve had wet dreams about it already.”I laugh. “What did you do while I was gone?”He groans. “Nothin
EleniBy the time I finally topple off Dante, sated, the sun is nowhere to be seen, and dinner is long forgotten. My skin clings to the sheets with sweat, and I spend a long time just catching my breath.After that long time passes, I look over at Dante. Tonight wasn’t our most intense session, but usually by this point, he’s up reminding me aftercare is an important part of the process and I’ll get a UTI if I don’t go to the bathroom. Instead, he just lays on the pillow, breathing heavily and staring at the ceiling with his gaze distant. Judging by the wrinkle between his eyebrows, business has him worried, not me.Maybe this is where I fit into the Saints now. Not boss in name, but boss in bed. The place he comes to unload the problems he can’t figure out on his own, and I help him unsnarl them. At least for now.“Thought for a thought?” I graze my fingers down the middle of his chest, avoiding the few remaining staples he says Dr. Domino is going to take out in a couple days. The s
DanteA few days later, I lean on my horn as the car in front of me completely ignores the green light overhead. “What the fuck do you mean, am I sure we have to do this?”Tony rolls his eyes. “Exactly what I goddamn said. I know ignoring Cal Duncan isn’t smart, but just because he called the meeting doesn’t mean we have to do it in his home fucking base.”“You’d prefer neutral territory.” I speed forward as the car finally moves and dodge around them to reach the open road ahead. “Like Chinatown?’“You’re in a rare mood,” he grumbles. “Thought I was supposed to be the fucking funny one.”“I thought so too.” I grin at my old friend. “And I’m just trying not to walk into an out-of-the-blue meeting with Cal Duncan looking like we’re crying over spilled milk. Didn’t you say he was minding his Ps and Qs?”“Technically.” Tony shakes his head. “As technically as a motherfucker could. He’s dancing right on the edge of our territory, just barely not starting something.”I pull up in front of
TatianaI regret leaving the house the moment I reach the city. The buildings are monstrous, and I’m not used to a place as overwhelmingly chaotic as New York. At first, I was determined to head straight to the apartment Lev had rented—curious, optimistic, convinced that whatever he’d left there might hold answers about Oleg. I had hoped to find something, anything, that could help the Saints in their mission to dismantle the Romina Empire.I type the address Lev sent via email into the GPS, but I start recognizing the street names—familiar turns, shops and signs. Then I see it— the corner deli where Angelo kidnapped me that day. My stomach turns over and the blood in my veins turns to ice. I’m too close to the place where the wedding ceremony took place. Where I ran from. Where it all began.Emotionally, I begin to unravel and as if that’s not enough, I realize the car behind me has been changing lanes immediately after I merge for long enough that I’m being followed. Panic claws
AngeloA sharp beep echoes from the garage downstairs and jerks me out of sleep.For a second, I think it’s part of a dream. I lie still, blinking at the ceiling. But something feels off—too quiet, too empty.I don’t need to look to my side to know she’s gone.I feel it.The air is colder. The silence heavier.I sit up, scanning the room. The door is open. Lights off. Nothing.Then I notice it—my gun, keys, and wallet are missing.“Fuck,” I growl, bolting out of bed. I yank on my pants and shove my arms through my shirt like I’m racing death itself. My chest tightens, adrenaline slamming through my veins like a freight train.She took my car, my weapon, and my goddamn trust.“You can’t do this to me, Tatiana,” I mutter, storming into the hallway. My voice is hoarse, laced with anger and something far worse—fear.“She’s gone!” I shout down the corridor, pounding on Dice’s door without waiting. “Get the fuck up—we’ve got a problem.”Dice swings the door open already halfway dressed, eye
*Tatiana*Angelo and I ended up in bed after our talk on the porch. Not because we reached an understanding—we didn’t. We’re still standing on opposite sides of a line neither of us is willing to cross. But I knew pushing him harder would only cause more damage.So, I hold my tongue.For now, keeping the peace meant swallowing my pride, locking my thoughts away, and playing the role of someone willing to wait.It’s after midnight. Rain pounds against the windows like a warning—fierce, unrelenting. Angelo lies asleep beside me, peaceful, unaware of the storm brewing right here in this bed.I watch him for a long moment, memorizing the shape of him, the warmth of him, just in case this is the last time.Sleep won’t come, so I reach for the tablet on my nightstand. I browse for a while—news, maps, dead ends. Then, on impulse, I check my old email. I haven’t opened it since I left Russia. I expect spam, junk, maybe nothing at all.What I don’t expect is a message from Lev.Dated the night
*Tatiana*I grit my teeth and force myself not to roll my eyes. Throwing a tantrum won’t help—but that doesn’t stop the anger simmering just beneath my skin. I don’t like the way Angelo drew that line between us. Cold. Sharp. Final.It’s not just that he’s shutting me out. It’s how he’s doing it—like I’m still some piece on his chessboard, a liability to manage. A prisoner, technically. But from him? That’s a slap in the face.He’s across the kitchen, body rigid, watching me. I ignore him. If he wants distance, fine. I’ve had worse from men with half his brain and twice his ego.I focus on the window, jaw tight. I will find a way to be useful, whether he lets me or not. I didn’t survive this long just to be benched.“Give me a cigarette,” Angelo mutters, moving toward Sal and snatching the pack from the table.My gaze flicks over in time to see the tension in his shoulders, the anger in his hands.He doesn’t smoke. Hasn’t since I got here.“Sure you wanna do that?” Kian asks, brows ra
AngeloI pull myself from the bed and get dressed, still feeling the rush from my quick encounter with Tatiana. As much as I want to spend more time with her, I know I can't afford to linger. Work’s been piling up, and I’ve been slacking lately—ever since things started getting heated between us. The Saints need me, and I can’t ignore them.Keeping an eye on Tatiana, as per Tony’s orders, has also taken a lot of my focus. I haven’t had a chance to personally discuss with him yet what Tatiana shared with me about her past and her involvement with the Rominas, but I know that Sal and Dice have already filled him in. I just hope Tony doesn’t see her as a liability or a potential threat, but instead, as an ally."Can I ask you something?" Tatiana’s voice pulls me from my thoughts. She’s lying there, looking up at me, her lashes fluttering in that way I know always gets me."Sure," I reply, trying to sound casual. I walk back toward her but keep my distance so we don’t end up going for ro
TatianaThe morning sun warms my skin, stirring me gently from sleep. I stretch my arms above my head, muscles loosening as a sense of peace settles over me. It’s strange how a good night’s sleep can reset everything—my mood, my resolve, even my sense of purpose. Today, I feel new. Whole.Turning to my side, I gaze at Angelo. He’s still asleep, facing me, his features relaxed and soft in the quiet light. I take him in—the curve of his lips, the strong line of his jaw, those unruly dark curls that slip over closed eyes, guarded by lashes so long they could make any woman jealous.He looks like a different man when he’s asleep—unbothered, weightless. Awake, he carries the world like it’s chained to his back.A part of me wants to believe I’m the reason for that peace. That I’m helping him, in the way he’s helped me—just by being here, by seeing him, really seeing him, the way that no one else has. Just as he’s able to see me differently.My heart pounds as flashes of the past two weeks
*Tatiana*Getting to finally meet two other members of the Saints feels somewhat… exciting. I was shocked to see the one I had cut while running away from the wedding was part of their gang. This whole time, I’d just assumed that he had been working for Oleg. At least he doesn’t seem to be holding a grudge against me, which is a relief.The other one, though—Dice—was harder to convince that he can trust me, but in the end, I think they both believed me and my story. I still don’t know the plans they have for me, and I assume they need to tell their boss what I’ve disclosed first, but surprisingly, I’m not that worried about my future anymore. I know Angelo won’t leave me on the street by myself. He’ll find a way to keep me protected, even if his boss tells him I’m of no use to them anymore.Maybe I can return to Russia and start again somehow. The mere thought of leaving Angelo behind hurts my heart, but if that’s what it comes to in the end, I’ll have to find a way. It’s a bit alar
AngeloTatiana and I spend the rest of the day in her room, only leaving for dinner, and we’re back in bed before midnight. The house is empty because the rest of the team had to go to a meeting with Tony and left me here watching her—since, in their words, I already know how to deal with her.I wanted to punch the smirks off their faces, but they weren’t wrong.I also don’t want them near Tatiana while they’re still so suspicious of her. That would only scare her. And now that she’s shared everything with me, I’m more convinced than ever that I was right all along—she was never a threat.There’s no way she could be such a good actor and lie about her past. I saw the pain in her eyes, the hatred, and the guilt she carries. It’s the exact same look I see in the mirror when I stare at myself.I told her I didn’t think I could hate Oleg any more than I already did, but now that I know what he put her through… God, rage boils inside me to the point I can barely control it.Luca, Tatiana’s
*Tatiana*I lie against Angelo’s chest, staring blankly at the wall, his thumb circling gentle caresses on my back. The sun is setting outside, and I have lost track of how long we’ve been here. For all I care, we could just stay here forever. I wouldn’t mind.I wonder where the other guys are or if they know what we’re doing in here, but I don’t bother to ask ngelo about it. Not that I’m embarrassed about what we did, but we’re supposed to be enemies, kidnapper and kidnapped. This isn’t how things were supposed to evolve between us.I bet they hate me for not giving them what they want, for wasting their time, and for fucking Angelo–something they’re all probably aware of by now.But what can I do? It’s not like I forced him to sleep with me. I didn’t even try that hard to seduce him.“What are you thinking about?” he whispers against my head, placing a soft kiss on my temple.“Not much,” I reply with a shrug.“I doubt that,” he says, continuing his featherlight strokes on my skin.H